Ask AshaHeartfelt Answers to
Everyday Dilemmas on the Spiritual Path
by Asha Praver

Sorrow and stress are universal, but difficult situations can also be opportunities — life trying to guide us toward greater happiness — if we had the wisdom to see it. To find the hidden blessings within the various situations in life, you need faith, trust . . . and sometimes, a wise friend to talk to.

To many spiritual seekers, that person is Asha — who through her counseling and lectures has helped thousands worldwide gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the spiritual path. Based on letters to questing souls, this book shares the clarity, compassion, and inspiration of Asha — a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, lifelong student of Swami Kriyananda, and gifted spiritual teacher for over 40 years. Her responses are universal to people everywhere, with compassionate insight into the human condition. How to help others . . . How to see life as fair . . . How to be true to yourself...

An excerpt:“Every apple seed contains within it the potential to become a fruit-bearing tree. It doesn’t happen all at once though. It may be tiresome for the seed first to be a sprout, then a twig, then a sapling—but it is the fastest, in fact the only way to become an apple tree.

So it is with the soul. Self-realization is our divine destiny, but we can’t get there in one leap. Perhaps your repeated failure is not caused by lack of will power but from lack of patience—trying to reach the goal without first walking the path.

If you reach too far beyond your actual realization, inevitably you will collapse back—perhaps to a place lower than where you started, if you define yourself now by your failure. You may think you are compromising your ideals to aim lower, but in fact that may be the surest route to success.

Spiritual progress is both a science and an art. The science is comprised of the divine laws of the universe; the art is to know which to apply and when.”

What Others Are Saying

“This is an invaluable collection of Asha's best and trustworthy counsel. A brilliant read for those of us who would like to have the tools to handle everyday problems, even as she inspires us to reach our higher potential and level of happiness. As Asha leads the reader to self-awareness, she becomes a supportive friend who offers the best advice one could receive.”
—Dr. Pathma Naidu, Head of Counseling, Pathways World School, India

“Asha has a knack for taking timeless spiritual truths and presenting them in a way that is immediate, practical, and directly applicable to our modern lives. Her advice is compassionate and insightful, and helps us find the next step toward spiritual progress in any situation.”
—Graham Waldon, Manager, East West Bookshop

“From early in her spiritual life, Asha’s teacher, Swami Kriyananda, asked her to give spiritual counsel to new seekers. It is obvious why. She is a wise soul with a talent for putting deep teachings into words everyone can understand. This book is a gift to anyone searching for truth.”
—Richard Salva, author of Blessed Lanfranc: The Past Life of Swami Sri Yukteswar

Asha is a lifelong disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and a Kriya Yogi.
She has studied with Swami Kriyananda for more than 40 years, a close direct disciple
of Yogananda himself since 1948. She is a spiritual director of Ananda Sangha of Palo Alto, serving the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Peninsula, Silicon Valley, San Jose, and students around the world who receive inspiration and support from Asha’s talks online,
which are posted freely, thanks to generous donations from many friends.